Prayer and Preparation

 An email this morning from Sara Dickey, who just returned from Zimbabwe, reminded me of the power of prayer, and the number of “pray-ers” who provide that support for volunteers in mission.  Sara thanked me for keeping everyone connected with the monthly prayer requests for those volunteers going out in mission.  A follow-up phone conversation revealed that Sara jots names into her journal to help her remember to pray for specific folks.

I know that some of you keep me in your prayers – and for that, I’m most thankful.  Sunday, my mother and I cancelled our trip to visit a friend in Thailand.  I had asked for your prayers for that trip as I expected to check out options for VIM trips to Thailand.  I’m home; we cancelled our trip on Sunday as violence in that country has escalated. 

 There is a point to this email besides thanking you for your prayers.  If you lead teams into other countries, this is a mini tutorial.  Please remember to do two things before you leave:

•  Let me know where you are going and the dates you will be gone - even if you are connecting with ecumenical or other denominational projects, or have not completed the VIM Leader training.  I am your conference staff person.  I want to assist you where I can.  If something unforeseen occurs while you are out of country, I may be able to help.  Unforeseen may include earthquake, tsunami, demonstrations and violence.  If I don’t know where you are, I can’t help set some of the wheels in motion that might help get you out of a bad situation.  We have connections through the United Methodist Church and as Americans.  The other benefit is that many of us can keep you in prayer!
• Send your team roster to the US Embassy in your host country, including passport numbers. The VIM Leader manual suggests http://www.tyzo.com/planning/embassies.html for locations of embassies.  I find that site confusing and it does not include all countries.  Instead I suggest this Internet site - https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ - to register my team and to provide an email address for the government to send me alerts about the country where I’ll be visiting.  
•  Do a little research of your country through this site:  http://www.usembassy.gov/  Click open the country where you will be going - Click open Citizen Services on the menu bar across the top (important phone numbers will be listed here:  US Embassy, ambulance, police, fire) – check out some of the other information and services our government provides for us.
  

I hope you never have to solve the problem of being in a foreign country during a natural disaster or violent uprising AND being prepared for the unforeseen is something I’d also hope for in the leaders I follow. If you are not leading a team, but are volunteering on a team, remind your team leader to do this, or do it yourself. 

If you are leading a team somewhere in the U.S., please let me know where and when.  Unforeseen things can happen in the U.S. too – sometimes back home, sometimes at the project where you are working.  You, too, need the power of prayer behind you (and beside you, and ahead of you)!

Please keep me posted about your VIM activities ...

Diane Miller

Mission/VIM Coordinator

Western Pennsylvania Conference

United Methodist Church

www.wpaumc.org/vim